Fried Crab Stick Crackers

Heat the oven to 130°F. Unroll the crab sticks and pull them apart into ½-inch-wide slivers. (Make sure the crab sticks are completely defrosted before doing this.)
On a rimmed baking sheet, spread the crab sticks in a thin layer. Dry for 20 minutes in the oven. This is just to reduce the water content slightly, so they don’t sputter as much when fried. Alternatively, you can use a dehydrator for this, or even place the pan outdoors under the hot sun.
Dust the cornstarch over the crab sticks. Gently toss until well coated.
In a large pot, heat the oil until an instant-read thermometer registers 350°F. Gently place a handful of the crab sticks into the oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. (Depending on the size of your pot, 2 to 3 dozen strips each round should do.) Fry the crab sticks for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t touch or agitate the crab sticks for the first minute of frying, as they’ll stick to your spatula. But once they get going, gently move them around and ease them apart.
Transfer the crab sticks to paper towels to wick off the excess oil. Repeat until all the crab sticks have been fried.
Fry the curry leaves in the oil for 30 to 40 seconds, until darkened and crispy. (Careful, they can really crackle and pop!) Toss with the fried crab sticks.
Let cool completely before serving. To store, keep in an airtight container—that is, if you can stop yourself from snacking on them all!

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